Madison Square Park is located at the intersection of Broadway and 5th Avenue. Madison Square Park received its name from the fourth President of the United States, James Madison. The space originally became public in 1686, and was turned into Madison Square Park on May 10, 1847. The park has always held a highly urban feel being at a location with many local commercial buildings and other city landmarks such as the Flat Iron building. The park is famous for being the name inspiration of Madison Square Garden, which was originally located adjacent to the park. Each year the park chooses to install a different art piece for the summer season. The current piece was designed by Teresita Fernández. The park was also redesigned to have more of a botanical presence in the late 1990’s by world renowned public garden designer, Lynden Miller.
Upon visiting the park it is easy to notice that the vibe is much more urban than many others parks in the area. The center of the park is currently taken over by the summer’s art installation that is made up of different mirror shapes that create a modern atmosphere. The park is divided into two main sections, the musical and loud side (south end) and the quieter and more family oriented area (north end). In between the two ends lay a great lawn that is fenced off, making it impossible for people to relax under the trees. Because of this the park could appear more rigid to visitors. The park is much more geared to people planning on passing through on a shopping trip or for tourists looking for New York landmarks.
This little park packs a good punch for its location. It’s not nearly the size of some of the bigger parks in Manhattan, but it offers a very distinct mix of social environments along with a playground, dog park, and even the good ‘ole Shake Shack. If you are wondering who the statues are at the three corners, we were also wondering that ourselves. You’ll find mostly 19th century statues with description plates if you are thirsty for knowledge. This small park is a living, breathing part of the daily life that exists every day.
